Catholic Church sex abuse crisis: 5 possible Vatican changes

Protecting victims and the accused

As part of the “Reflection points” document, multiple points stress the need to have in place measures that protect both victims of abuse and accused clergy.

“Implement shared procedures for the examination of the charges, the protection of the victims and the right of defense of the accused,” explained the document.

“The right to defense: the principle of natural and canon law of presumption of innocence must also be safeguarded until the guilt of the accused is proven.”

Point 14 in particular states that “it is necessary to prevent the lists of the accused” from being “published, even by the dioceses, before the preliminary investigation and the definitive condemnation.”

Point 8 calls for giving protection and treatment to victims of clergy sexual abuse, “offering them all the necessary support for a complete recovery.”